Envelop.



No. 722,076. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1903.

W. N. BEBOUT.

EN VELOP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1902.

llNTTnn STATES PATENT FFICE.

\VILLIAM N. BEBOUT, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 722,076, dated March 3, 1903.

Application filed November 20, 1902. Serial No. 132,062. (No model.)

To (l/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM N. BEBoUT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in envelops; and the invention has' for its object to provide an envelop that when once sealed may not be opened without detection.

To this end the invention resides in the novel construction, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and then particularly pointed out in the claim, and in de scribing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals of reference will be employed for indicating like parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a detail plan view of the envelop-blank before being folded. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view showing the end flaps and back or rear flap in the folded position. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rear face of the envelop in the sealed form with the supplemental sealing-flap partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the envelop in the folded form, taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 4 and a part of the end flaps turned up so as to show the sealingtongue.

To form my improved envelop, I provide a blank comprising the front 1, the end flaps 2 2, the back or rear sealing-flap 3, and the sealing-flap 4. The end sealing-flaps 2 2 are adapted to overlap slightly one upon the other, as seen by dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and one of the same is gummed on one face adjacent to the end, whereby it may be caused to adhere to the other end flap. These end flaps are cut on the upper edge on a curved line, as seen at 5, so as to bring the upper edge of these flaps when folded below the edge of the front, whereby entrance of the letter into the envelop is facilitated. The sealing-flap 4 is provided on its one face, ad-

jacent the outer edge thereof, with a gummed surface 6, and this sealing-flap carries centrally of its length an extended substantially triangular-shaped tongue 7, which is notched in one edge to form a shoulder or barb 8. This tongue is gummed over the entire surface of both its faces. The sealing-flap 3 is provided on its underneath face, adjacent the edge, with a slot 11 to receive the tongue. This slit or slot 11 is of a length equal or about equal to the width of the tongue measured from the inner end of the shoulder to the opposite edge of the tongue, whereby when the tongue is inserted into the slit or slot 11 the shoulder will engage with the sealing-flap in a manner shown in Fig. 5 and'the tongue thus be securely held in position. As this tongue is gummed on both its faces, it will be observed that besides interlocking in theslit or slot it adheres to the opposite faces of the envelop, so that in event the gummed portion of the envelop sealingflap was loosened the tongue will still remain sealed and access to the interior of the envelop could not be had without damaging the envelop in such a manner that detection would be readily perceived. The rear flap 3 carries a sealing-strip 12, the free end of which is shaped so that when folded over on the flap 3 across the slit 11 it will conform to the edge of the flap 3. This sealing-strip is gummed on its one face, and after the tongue 8 is inserted and sealed the strip 12 may be sealed over the slit, thus hiding the latter, thereby concealing the internal locking means from view.

It will be observed that various changes may be made in the details of construction Without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

An envelop-blank comprising a main front portion, end flaps thereon, said flaps tapered outwardly from the front portion, a curved rear or back flap extending from said main portion, provided on its under face with a sealing substance, said flap tapering to a reduced end portion, a slit formed in said reduced portion, an outwardly-extending sealing-strip secured to the said reduced portion on a line with the slit therein, a front flap having a sealing substance thereon extending from the main portion, said flap tapering to a triangular tongue portion at the outer end thereof, a shoulder formed in said tongue portion on its outer edge and a sealing substance covering the under face of the tongue portion, said tongue adapted to engage in the slit and be sealed upon the face of the end flaps in their folded position, and said sealing-strip adapted to fold over and pro- 10 tect the tongue in said slit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM N. BEBOUT. Witnesses:

A. M. WILSON, J. Wooos MCCORMICK. 

